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In The Shadow Of A Broken Spire
The school year at Blair High School is off to a tragic start when one student, Martin Welch, is found brutally murdered. Residents of the small town descend into a spiral of fear as they search for who is responsible for the horrific crime. As BHS senior, Jaycie Brogdon, tries to navigate the turbulence of her community coming undone, she discovers cracks within the seams of her own family.
Blame begins to shift inward, as residents within the community are certain Martin Welch’s murderer is one of their own. Fingers point toward Stuart Reinhart, the Blair High School’s literature teacher. Tensions rise as it is suggested that the books in Mr. Reinhart’s lessons are deemed as inappropriate, even immoral. This opens the door for history to repeat itself in Blair. The town’s past is unearthed, as the heart of a witch once used as a scapegoat continues to beat, allowing fear and hatred to make some of Blair’s residents grow a thirst for retribution.
Blame begins to shift inward, as residents within the community are certain Martin Welch’s murderer is one of their own. Fingers point toward Stuart Reinhart, the Blair High School’s literature teacher. Tensions rise as it is suggested that the books in Mr. Reinhart’s lessons are deemed as inappropriate, even immoral. This opens the door for history to repeat itself in Blair. The town’s past is unearthed, as the heart of a witch once used as a scapegoat continues to beat, allowing fear and hatred to make some of Blair’s residents grow a thirst for retribution.
340 pages, Kindle Edition
Published October 1, 2025
2 people are currently reading
48 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
October 12, 2025
This is a folk horror story if you will. It's about a small New York town that is cursed because of something that happened back in the 1700s.
Think IT (with the town kids) meets Salem's Lot, and The Witch and you'll have an idea.
The story goes back and forth from the 1700s to current times and is based around an eclipse that happens every 200 years or so.
Ed really takes his time with this story and let's it unfold around you with some very memorable and easily relatable characters. If you're in the mood for a Spooky Season book this October look no further, this has all the creeps, chills, terror, and suspense we all crave.
Think IT (with the town kids) meets Salem's Lot, and The Witch and you'll have an idea.
The story goes back and forth from the 1700s to current times and is based around an eclipse that happens every 200 years or so.
Ed really takes his time with this story and let's it unfold around you with some very memorable and easily relatable characters. If you're in the mood for a Spooky Season book this October look no further, this has all the creeps, chills, terror, and suspense we all crave.
August 15, 2025
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.5 rounded up
ARC REVIEW 🤓
I had the absolute pleasure of receiving this ARC from Ed Flora. After reading The Triangle Forest, I knew I wanted to explore his work further.
The town of Blair has had an expected murder, throwing the residents into a decent of dread and unease as to who could have orchestrated such a heinous crime. With the discovery of a witch hunt long ago, a teacher at Blair High School realizes the town of Blair has a deeper, darker, long standing history of tragedy. Will history be inevitably doomed to repeat itself and another suffer the consequences of a modern day witch hunt?
Told from the perspective of multiple people affected by this tragedy, the depth of the story unfolds, allowing the reader to immerse themselves in Blair’s undoing from differing interpretations. Each character has a completely different role in the story, making the flow of the book easy to follow. Some of them are lovable, prompting the reader to root for them and become attached to their wellbeing. Others, however, present as despicable, creating a varying cast which encourages diversity in the storyline. Aside from multiple POVS, there is a varying timeline, weaving a story told from the dark ages of Blair in which the original witch hunt plagued the town, back to modern day, which provides the reader the necessary backstory to fully appreciate it as a whole.
Overall, I would describe this novel as dark, atmospheric, immersing, engaging, extremely well written, and a beautiful take on a trope you may not see coming. The twist literally had me audibly gasp. If you enjoy moody, tense, and adventurous novels that are page turners, I encourage you to preorder this book.
Follow Ed Flora on his socials, @edwardjflora on instagram, and Ed Flora on his Booktok. Not only is he a great author, but he provides incredible book recommendations and reviews that keep my TBR overflowing. He also recently established @gravesendbooks which you should definitely check out for sick merch and swag, while supporting a well deserved indie author.
ARC REVIEW 🤓
I had the absolute pleasure of receiving this ARC from Ed Flora. After reading The Triangle Forest, I knew I wanted to explore his work further.
The town of Blair has had an expected murder, throwing the residents into a decent of dread and unease as to who could have orchestrated such a heinous crime. With the discovery of a witch hunt long ago, a teacher at Blair High School realizes the town of Blair has a deeper, darker, long standing history of tragedy. Will history be inevitably doomed to repeat itself and another suffer the consequences of a modern day witch hunt?
Told from the perspective of multiple people affected by this tragedy, the depth of the story unfolds, allowing the reader to immerse themselves in Blair’s undoing from differing interpretations. Each character has a completely different role in the story, making the flow of the book easy to follow. Some of them are lovable, prompting the reader to root for them and become attached to their wellbeing. Others, however, present as despicable, creating a varying cast which encourages diversity in the storyline. Aside from multiple POVS, there is a varying timeline, weaving a story told from the dark ages of Blair in which the original witch hunt plagued the town, back to modern day, which provides the reader the necessary backstory to fully appreciate it as a whole.
Overall, I would describe this novel as dark, atmospheric, immersing, engaging, extremely well written, and a beautiful take on a trope you may not see coming. The twist literally had me audibly gasp. If you enjoy moody, tense, and adventurous novels that are page turners, I encourage you to preorder this book.
Follow Ed Flora on his socials, @edwardjflora on instagram, and Ed Flora on his Booktok. Not only is he a great author, but he provides incredible book recommendations and reviews that keep my TBR overflowing. He also recently established @gravesendbooks which you should definitely check out for sick merch and swag, while supporting a well deserved indie author.
October 8, 2025
Set in the small town of Blair, Nebraska, the story follows the unraveling of its residents after a local high school literature teacher discovers one of his students brutally murdered.
We get multiple POVs throughout the book - Jaycie and her brother Jax were definite standouts, along with the teacher Stu. Jaycie, a student at the high school, might just have her own suspicions about what’s really going on...
The tone of this book was top tier - the tension and atmosphere were palpable from start to finish. There’s also a second timeline set in the 1700s that adds even more depth, touching on witches, disease, and the properties of certain flowers. I especially loved that the teacher led a gothic lit class - we get lots of classic literature references scattered throughout.
If I had one critique, it’s that there was room to explore the characters personal struggles a bit more, maybe dive into some more modern-day issues - it felt like there was potential for more.
But overall, I’d definitely recommend this if you’re into small-town settings, haunting vibes, and the unsettling feeling that you maybe shouldn’t trust your neighbour. It’s also not too heavy on the gore, if you’re not into that.
Read if you like: Salem’s Lot, Nosferatu, Dracula
Quote from the book which sums it up quite well: “Because sooner or later, the good times had to end. They always did. Fleeting and fragile, like a bubble in the moments before it pops and disappears forever. No more neighborly hellos, no more pleasantries. It felt as if he were standing directly into the downward spiral of the small town’s doom.”
We get multiple POVs throughout the book - Jaycie and her brother Jax were definite standouts, along with the teacher Stu. Jaycie, a student at the high school, might just have her own suspicions about what’s really going on...
The tone of this book was top tier - the tension and atmosphere were palpable from start to finish. There’s also a second timeline set in the 1700s that adds even more depth, touching on witches, disease, and the properties of certain flowers. I especially loved that the teacher led a gothic lit class - we get lots of classic literature references scattered throughout.
If I had one critique, it’s that there was room to explore the characters personal struggles a bit more, maybe dive into some more modern-day issues - it felt like there was potential for more.
But overall, I’d definitely recommend this if you’re into small-town settings, haunting vibes, and the unsettling feeling that you maybe shouldn’t trust your neighbour. It’s also not too heavy on the gore, if you’re not into that.
Read if you like: Salem’s Lot, Nosferatu, Dracula
Quote from the book which sums it up quite well: “Because sooner or later, the good times had to end. They always did. Fleeting and fragile, like a bubble in the moments before it pops and disappears forever. No more neighborly hellos, no more pleasantries. It felt as if he were standing directly into the downward spiral of the small town’s doom.”
November 2, 2025
This reminded me of the vampire season of American horror story! Vibes and scene were very palpable and the time hopping was great. Could have used even more of it!
There were some random spooks that really got to me but the rest was manageable and leaned more on the plot than being scary. Really glad I went to the tattoo/horror convention this year and took a chance on this book! I asked the author to tell me what it was about before I got it and he sold me on it easy!
I will try to read more of the graves end universe! Hoping they can be available on kindle at some point or in the ny public library!
Great work!
There were some random spooks that really got to me but the rest was manageable and leaned more on the plot than being scary. Really glad I went to the tattoo/horror convention this year and took a chance on this book! I asked the author to tell me what it was about before I got it and he sold me on it easy!
I will try to read more of the graves end universe! Hoping they can be available on kindle at some point or in the ny public library!
Great work!
September 4, 2025
Set in a small town in NY State, our characters band together to fight the evil that birthed the town in the 1700s. They find themselves not just trying to survive high school, but surviving the bloody terror that has sunk its teeth into the illusion of comfort and safety one associates with small town living. These aren’t your average high school bullies. They are haunting, relentless, and want way more than just your lunch. With themes of identity, grief, and friendship, this compelling story is sure to keep you turning the pages deep into the night.
October 13, 2025
This story takes upstate New York with a dark past already embedded into the towns history. This new school year at Blair High school is starting to mirror actions from a long time ago. Over 200 years to be exact. I love how the story unfolds through different characters perspectives. So you get different back stories especially for families that have stuck around this quaint little town. This is absolute recommended book. It had me hooked ! Mr. Flora has done it again. If you have a scifi, horror or psychological lover. Tots up your alley!
November 1, 2025
Ed is a masterclass writer. This is as advertised: Hex by Thomas Olde Heuvelt meets Salem's Lot meets 30 Days of Night. A slower burn, so less on the latter, but very much a worthy, brutal, and devastating climax. This is one of the best books published in 2025.
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews